


Tall, Charming & Handsome

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And some Tiana/Naveen as well that you don't need to squint for, Best friend's brother, Childhood Friends, Crushes, F/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Some Very Background SQ if you squint, Texting, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 12:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15840987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Jacinda knows she's in trouble when she starts to fall for her best friend's brother.





	Tall, Charming & Handsome

**Author's Note:**

> trueloveismagic prompted: Glass Believer 21. best friends sibling 
> 
> For this, I am breaking out my OC, Amara Mills. 
> 
>  
> 
> She’s the daughter of Stable Queen. There’s some background SQ in this as well, if you squint. And some Rebel Hunter that you don’t have to squint for.

He’s her best friends’ brother.

 

That’s what Jacinda repeats to herself over and over again on a daily basis.

 

Amara Mills is her best friend, they’ve been that way since pre-school when Amara had no friends and Jacinda came running over, eager to give her some crayons to color with. They were joined at the hip after that.

 

Sure, Jacinda always knew about Henry. He was a year younger than Amara, normally just the annoying kid brother that always got in the way of them playing.

 

Then, they slowly got older and things began to change. Amara and Henry’s mom got when they were 12 and 13 respectively , finally moving on from her late husband, and they had to move out of Hyperion Heights for their step-mom’s job. Jacinda found herself stuck. She’d talk to Amara as much as she could on the phone and sometimes, they’d even visit each other.

 

After high school, Jacinda got a scholarship and left Washington behind for a bit. She had lost her father a few years prior and her own step-mother was just too much to handle. She studied hard and after long, grueling years in culinary school, she finally felt like she was making her way. While studying, she had met a new best friend, Sabine. She was a culinary major as well, though her specialty was sweets, while Jacinda’s was savory.

 

They agreed to go into business together and opened up their own food truck. A year into their partnership, however, Sabine got engaged to a great guy and had to relocate to where he lived. Jacinda decided to follow, they could have their food truck located wherever. As it turned out, Drew lived in Hyperion Heights, where Jacinda had grown up.

 

One day, while shopping, she had bumped into Henry. He was no longer the lanky pre-teen going through an awkward stage with pimples and braces. He had gotten a lot taller and his hair was cut shorter. His smile no longer hid behind metal and was so damn charming. When he spoke, there was no squeak.

 

God damn, when had he gotten so hot?

 

Jacinda already knew that the Swan-Mills family had moved back to Washington, she still kept in touch with Amara after all. Still, it was so weird to see how much Henry had changed.

 

And it was weird to think how hard she was falling for him. He wasn’t that annoying kid anymore, he was sweet and funny. He loved music and fixing his motorcycle, he had a podcast and was writing a novel. Every day, he’d find a reason to come to the food truck and buy something, even if it was just some beignets.

 

“Here he comes again,” Sabine mumbled as she poked her head out the window of the Rolling Bayou.

Jacinda pretended like she hadn’t noticed and went back to making the fried green tomatoes. “Here who comes again?”

“Don’t play coy. Tall, charming and handsome.”

“Aren’t you engaged?”

“Yeah, but I’m not dead. Seriously, ask him out.”

“He’s Amara’s brother.”

“So?”

“So…it’d be weird. How would you feel if your brother started dating your best friend?”

“One, I don’t have a brother. Two, my best friend is you so if I did, I’d know he’d be in good hands.”

 

Jacinda fiddled with her apron, not sure of what to say. Before she could think of anything, Henry approached the truck, a huge smile on his face.

 

“Hey ladies.”

“Hi, Henry.” Sabine propped her elbows on the counter. “Here to see Jacinda?”

Henry turned beet red. “I uh…well…”

Jacinda pushed past her best friend. “Ignore her, Henry. What can I get for you?”

“That rice you made the other day was so good, with the uh, chicken in it,” he said, trying to shake off the embarrassment. “I’ll have that…and a tea.”

“Coming right up.”

 

Once Jacinda had handed him the food. Henry was gone. She could kill Sabine. How could she embarrass Henry like that? Clearly, he had no feelings for her. He’d be stupid to.

 

As she was cleaning up that night, she brought the trash out to the dumpsters nearby. Amara walked out of the coffee shop nearby and smiled.

 

“Hey girl.”

Jacinda tossed the bags into the bin and wiped her hands on her apron. “Mara, hey. What’s up?”

“Nothing much. We need to get together soon.”

“Definitely.”

“And then maybe you can finally get around to asking my brother out.” Jacinda’s eyes widened and Amara laughed. “I’m not stupid, you know? I can tell that you two have huge crushes on one another. I don’t care, you’d be good together. Just don’t wait too long, ya know?”

 

Before Jacinda could say anything else, Amara was gone. Jacinda bit down on her lip and fished out her cellphone, pulling up a blank text message.

 

_Do you wanna go to that new adult arcade on 7 th? Maybe Friday?_

 

Her hand hovered over the send button for a moment, before she bit the bullet and actually did it. She stood there, paralyzed for a few moments until her phone buzzed again. A text from Henry. Jacinda’s stomach was in knots as she opened it.

 

_Sounds good to me. :)_


End file.
